An article in my local paper1 pleased me greatly. Students in a marketing class at University of Alberta School of Business want to raise people’s awareness of the importance of ethics and integrity in business. Among other projects, they have developed an oath of integrity they hope will make its way to classrooms and boardrooms everywhere.
Business students take the lead
The business students were sickened by stories of ponzi schemes, bonuses paid to executives of bailed out companies and businesses profiting from the exploitation of vulnerable people. That is not what these students want in their business careers.
The idea for an oath of integrity grew out of one of the first discussions marketing professor Sharon Ryan had with them on the idea of moral responsibility: a person has a level of accountability for actions that cause harm to others, directly or indirectly, no matter how far removed they are from the situation. As the semester continued, the students' awareness grew into a desire to influence change. From this, the idea of an oath of integrity for business students was formed.
The idea of an ethics pledge is not a new one. The University of Western Ontario's Ivey School has had one since 2004, and Harvard recently created an MBA oath. What is different about this pledge is that it is student-driven, and one that they want to share with decision-makers in all areas of business and at all levels.
Professor Ryan says, "A lot of people hide behind the cloak of the corporation, thinking they're not responsible and that, if they make a mistake, nobody's going to point the finger at them. This pledge makes them think very deeply about their direct responsibility in their decisions."
The oath is part of the students' commitment to live up to their moral responsibilities as future business leaders. By using viral marketing strategies, they are hoping that their pledge will spread and be taken by businesses and schools around the world.
Oath of Integrity
Here is the Oath of Integrity the students developed.
I promise to act with the utmost integrity in balancing the ethics of societal well-being, individual rights, tenets of justice, and principles of care in my efforts to manage the resources of the enterprises I endeavor to serve.
I understand that integrity is defined as the quality of being whole and undivided in my thoughts and in my actions. It requires that I act in a state of being consistently of sound moral principles such that:
· I promise to act with honesty.
· I promise to be helpful to stakeholders when called upon.
· I promise to act with competence throughout my career.
· I promise to be fair to people and to treat them with respect.
· I promise to uphold the principles of honor and promise-keeping.
· I will foster an attitude of action orientation whenever possible.
· I will strive to create sustainable organizational, environmental, social, and technological prosperity balancing both short and long term interests.
I make this oath freely and sincerely, and upon my honor.
And the message for entrepreneurs is…
The good news for entrepreneurs is… we have the freedom and authority to design our businesses around our values and integrity. The entrepreneurs that I know personally do that automatically, like breathing. Many entrepreneurs have left the corporate world at least in part so they can more easily live and work within their values and integrity.
The bad news AND the good news is… anything that is not in alignment with our soul’s purpose and core integrity is simply not going to work for us. If ever there was a time to make sure we are aligned with our soul’s purpose, our deepest wisdom and our core of integrity, THIS is the time. And if ever there was a time to combine our soul’s wisdom with practical inspired action, THIS is the time.
Your Coaching Challenge
Have a look at every aspect of your business operation to see if each aspect is in alignment with your values and core integrity.
Going Global
Imagine a world in which small and large businesses are guided by principles of integrity and mutual respect; a world in which all individuals in all businesses understand that what happens to anyone affects all of us.
_______________
Recent Comments